Court Exempts Catholic Groups From Contraception Mandate

Law360, New York (December 17, 2013, 2:16 PM EST) -- A group of New York Catholic high schools and health care providers don’t have to provide their employees with insurance coverage for contraception under the Affordable Care Act because the law violates their religious freedom, a New York federal judge said Friday.

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan said the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects the group of plaintiffs challenging the mandate from having to comply with the ACA's requirement that group health insurance plans cover certain preventative medical services, including contraception, sterilization and related counseling, without...